Food?
Drinks?
Entertainment?
I would say all of the above.
I got a chance to visit a friend in Chicago over the weekend as a break from my normal day to day and to catch up with her despite the fact that we talk almost everyday. There's a difference when you can look at the person while you're talking to them.
The first night I was there, we went to the local dive bar called Gamblers. I had been there before, so going back while in town was a must for me. After we had been sitting there for a while, the bartender walked over with four pineapple upside down cake shots and had a shot with us, while catching up with our table.
That's just how he is and who wouldn't love this place?
Saturday, while we were in Elmherst, we stopped at Nu Crepes, a place that my friend talked about endlessly, so I knew that I had to go the next time I was in town. It's a family business started by three brothers. I ended up getting the Inside Out Boy, one of their savory crepes, and this thing was something epic, I've gotta tell you!
What I really like about this place is that they are big on supporting local businesses, before going outside of the area of supplies, such as meat, eggs, veggies and coffee. I had never eaten a meal with wood like utensils, but the idea of it was kinda cool.
Thumbs up for sure and I would definitely go back the next time I'm in the area!
That afternoon, we got a chance to check out the Chicago Bluesfest, something I have wanted to check out for years and feel that any music lover should go to at least once in their life. People from all over the world are said to flock to the city to see these artists perform and I see why.
The one performer that caught my ear was Dexter Allen, who mixed a southern blues with a sound that captured the attention of young and old alike. His songs told stories that the common listener could often relate to before rocking out on the guitar. Three quarters of the way in, my friend and I decided to buy his latest album, which he later signed after the show was over. Allen was such a hit that when his set was supposed to be over, the crowd begged for him to come back for one more song, which he did. What I like about him was his almost need to please the crowd. Near the end of his show, he made his way into the audience to play and had a little girl play his guitar with him, which by the way was adorable and normal if that makes sense.
Given another chance to check him out in concert, I would definitely take it and be okay with spending a few bucks to do so.
As to the Experience side of things, on Sunday, we got a chance to check out the Chicago Crime Tour, which fulfilled the nerd side of me. During this bus tour, we went by different spots known historically for crimes that helped shape the city to what it is today, such as the St. Valentines Day Massacre, the El Train Wreck of 1977 and SS Eastland Disaster of 1915. We went to the Biograph Theater where John Dillinger, the famous bank robber, murderer and original Public Enemy #1, was caught and killed. This location marked the creation of what the world now knows as the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Call me a little twisted, but tours like this fascinate me.
No matter how many times you visit a city like Chicago, no two visits will ever be the same and this weekend reminded me of that.
See you in a few months, Chicago!
